From writer to marketer!

I have never been much of a marketer but as a writer, in the modern world, marketing is a key element to the success of any book reaching the audiences intended.  With the help of my assistant and some other wonderful people, interviews are starting to come in.  My first interview will be on WED Feb. 2, 2011 on www.blogtalkradio.com/jblairbrown and I have to admit, I'm nervous.  It is much easier to write a book, knowing exactly what you are intending to write than it is to try to explain why you wrote what you did.  However, the bread comes with the basket!  Okay, it's an old saying but it still applies.  In order to earn an income from writing, you must participate in the basket (interviews, articles, signing, etc.) that will carry you there.  Interviews are a great basket to help spread the word about your book and create the buzz needed to get people to buy it. 

Many people have told me that I have written a book that is in demand.  When I wrote 101 Behaviors a Guy Needs to Understand about His Woman! I believed that as well.  Now, as my work begins materializing in the marketing world, I am excited to talk about it but it took me a while to get there!  So, how do you alter your mind so that you are prepared for interviews?  Glad you asked! 

First, travel back to the beginning, before you wrote the book, and ask yourself why you wrote it in the first place.  This will help you remember, not only why you wrote your book but, how you felt when you wrote it.  Because the publishing process takes a while and so does marketing, authors can often forget the origin of their writing process and you must remember this as you sell it through the various marketing avenues. 

Second, remind yourself that what you have to offer is important and has an audience that wants to hear what you have to say.  I live a fairly quiet life and it is more difficult for quiet types to compel their intended audience to buy their work.  Why?  We often don't enjoy being out in the open.  We would rather just tell you to read it and see for yourself but this isn't realistic.  However, you can minimize fears by remaining true to your cause.  You have something of value to offer readers and this should be on the forefront of your mind. 

Lastly, enjoy the process.  I will say this over and over, even to myself, because it is equally important to enjoy your work through the full process of fruition.  Just because you finished writing your book doesn't mean the process is over.  So sit back and relax.  Enjoy participating in seeing your book take off and get into the reader's hands!  It's an exciting time and your own excitement about your book will transfer over into those who tune-in to your marketing campaign!

I believe the most important thing to remember is this: You wrote a book for a reason and though readers will probably enjoy reading your work, you must first help them understand what caused you to write it!  You possessed enough confidence in yourself to complete your book and now, you must use that same confidence to demonstrate to your soon-to-be fans how they can relate to your book!  When they do, they will buy it and you will feel even more achieved than when you finished writing it!

Jaymes Ian Woode 

Is planning everything...best?

In the creative world it has always been said that planning out your year is what helps you reach your goals and be successful.  What we don't hear a lot of is that planning out your year may interfere with your creative process.  So, how do you know which plan of action is the best for you?  There are a few simple steps that you can analyze (I love using this term when talking about creativity) to learn more about you and just how full you need to make your calendar:

1. What type of personality do you have?  For me, I am a thinker and a feeler who makes tons of mental notes and every now and again jots things down in my spiral, just so I don't forget.  I am someone who needs to feel ready to do something and not forced to do something just to keep with a calendar.  However, I have set a few goals for the year that are vague and can certainly be interrupted if other things take precedence.  For others, you may need to follow a more strict path, and by strict I mean laying out a step-by-step plan of action.  Many great creators do this.  They will write down just how much they need to "write to complete a book" within a particular time period.  Some go as far as creating start and stop points all year-long, regardless of their talent.  What you need to ask yourself is, "How am I effectively creative?"  "Am I more motivated by following a strict plan or by loosening my belt until I feel ready?"  Granted, being creative doesn't eliminate you from needing to run your business.  If you aren't earning an income, it is quite difficult to live out your creative endeavors.  Either way, be true to yourself and follow a plan that you are comfortable with.  If you are not sure which method is best, dedicate yourself to following one particular method for an entire year and then reflect upon your experience.  You may also choose to combine these methods, leaving room for creative interruptions.

2. The importance of creative interruptions.  As a creative person, it is important that you maintain your sense of inspiration.  Often, when sticking to a strict schedule, creative types forget to partake in what inspires them.  Many feel they need to do A,B, and C before they earn the right to be inspired again.  I would disagree with this completely.  Sure, A,B, and C are important but you mustn't forget who you are.  In my mental schedule, I allow myself to be inspired relentlessly.  How?  Glad you asked!  Whatever you do in life, having a balance is extremely important.  I write several hours a day but if I don't feel that I am enjoying my time writing, I close my laptop and get out in the world.  I maintain my exercise regime (which always helps the creative process because it give you time away from thinking and allows you time to focus on you!) and I venture out to do things that I enjoy.  Taking time to tend to all of your needs is just as important as writing your best-seller.  You will find that when you step away from creating that sooner or later you will miss it and want to return.  This is something that needs to be done often and when creative types neglect to step away, they often become overwhelmed and feel forced to be creative which, in itself, creates burn-out or block.  If you plan out your year, plan blocks of time to get away from creating.  Take a vacation or go visit somewhere new.  Or, if you are like me, be sure to get out into the world on a daily basis unless your are fully engaged in your craft.  Remember, it is often our experiences that spark our imagination and ability to create.

3. Socialize.  Many creative types struggle with regular socialization.  I, for one, am victim to this as I prefer a quieter life and truly enjoy my time writing.  However, I have learned the importance of making connections with others and the role those connections play in my well-being.  Throughout my day, whether through email, Skype, online networks, or at the gym and coffee shop, I make time to talk with other people.  This gives me a sense of normalcy in my abnormal lifestyle.  I do not long to have thousands of friends but I do long to be a part of my world and connect, even if briefly, with those living more normal lives.  These brief interactions allow me to feel less isolated and, sometimes, cause me to run back to my computer out of fright or because that person just reminded me of how I needed to describe a character or scene.  Other times, these interactions become a part of my routine.  When I exercise at the gym, there are a few people who I chat with more regularly and it makes my experience richer because of it.  If you are like me, more isolated than most, I believe that you will find similar benefits from small interactions, whether in person or not.  However, the opposite is just as true.  If you enjoy lots of socialization, it may interfere with your creative flow and keep you from performing at the level that you know you are capable of, thus damaging your progress and success.  Keep tabs on what your needs are and remember to try to keep a healthy balance.

4. Lastly, have fun.  Being creative is probably the funnest lifestyle to actualize.  As your business grows and you continue to hone your craft, it is easy to get wrapped up in all of the details of being successful.  If you ever feel that you are overloaded with a business mindset, stop and go have fun.  Doing what you do is a gift and it should be a fun and rewarding experience for you.  If you are not enjoying how your life is unfolding, take the time to make alterations on how you get from point A to point Z.  Always remind yourself that there are plenty of 9-5 jobs out there just waiting to monopolize on your lessor than creative abilities.  With that said, slow down and be sure not to force your creativity into being something that you are not pleased with.  You are creative and your creations are just as important as the next person, so be true to yourself.  If you don't like planning and doing the business end of things, like me, there are many assistants out there that will be happy to help (not all are overly priced either).  My assistant and editor are amazing people and don't rob me for their time.  Take time to reflect upon yourself and realize that you are living your dream and then make the most of it by enjoying the process, especially those areas that you just cannot see with your own eyes, thus being unable to plan for.

So, is planning everything best?  Well, that really depends on you and your needs.  I believe there is room for planning and there is more room for allowing the creative process to unfold on its' own.  Creating is about discovery; discover is about finding something that you believed was there but hadn't uncovered it yet.  As you uncover your creation and bring it into existence, you and the world around you will revel in the surprise.  We all like surprises right?  If you plan anything, plan on making the most of your abilities and do whatever it takes to make that happen!

Jaymes Ian Woode

Things learned at NY Writer's Conference

This past weekend was filled with excitement and new learning at the NY Writer's Conference.  Yes, I did meet a few literary agents and, Yes, they did ask to see two of my books.  I will be sending off manuscripts today and feel rewarded by their response.  There were also a few important things that I picked up in the well instructed workshops that I felt I should pass on to you:

1. Pitch: When pitching your work, much like the opening paragraph of your query letter, keep it simple but to the point.  For example: "My book, (title) is complete at (number) words and is a (describe genre: i.e. YA, Self-help, Women's Lit...).  Then, in two to three short sentences, explain the storyline, especially the main character and what the main character goes through, why they go through it, and the goal to be accomplished (climax).  Don't give the ending away.

2. There is a large difference between YA and middle-grade books.  If writing a YA book, it may be beneficial to add the specific age group you are trying to reach (11-14; 15-17, etc.).  A middle-grade book is a younger audience than YA, they are not young adults.  Many people supposedly make this error and when agents see that the author doesn't know the difference, it doesn't help them feel confident in your writing.

3. Agents are really nice people.  Believe it or not, until you've sat in front of an agent, you may not have the respect for them that they deserve.  Imagine having a job that begins with looking over one piece of paper.  Then, every five seconds someone drops off another piece of paper every day for the rest of your life.  I know, it's dramatic but quite the realization of agents.  They are people who actually care but they do expect authors to take the time to make their job, and decision on you, easier.

4. Attend a conference.  If you haven't done so already, attend a writer's conference and use your time to learn as much as you can.  Sure, you can read about different areas of marketing, publishing, writing, etc., but when you are at a conference, you will also feel the information and let it sink in.  If a thousand authors are attending a class, you can bet that the instructor already knew the importance of the information and the direction that the writing industry is going.  It is nice to see, with your own eyes, that you are not alone in trying to figure out how everything works and trying to learn what is really important.

5. A writer's conference is a nice refresher to any writer.  It is a time to take a break and be recharged by being surrounded by others like yourself.  You will see that you are not the only person struggling to get ahead and you may discover that what you are doing is appropriate for your goals.  The first class that I attended confirmed that I was doing things right and this confirmation gave me my full money's worth and I still had the rest of the day to go.  I left that workshop with a huge smile on my face and feeling that I had more sense than I had realized.

Okay, enough, overall, at a conference, you will never know who you will meet and what may occur unless you go.  I assure you, if you are a serious writer that you will benefit in more ways than you probably expected.  Also, I met someone their who develops marketing plans for writers, whom I had spoken with on the phone for several weeks prior to the conference and was now able to put a face to the voice.  With so many things happening online and over the phone, it was reassuring to meet this person.  That meeting added to my excitement and we had a great conversation and I felt like I had made a strong connection that may last a lifetime.

NY Writer's Conference

There is no questions in my mind, the NY Writer's Conference is one of the biggest conferences available to writers today.  I am excited and nervous and have much to do in preparation.  If you are attending, here is a short lists of a few things you should do to be ready:

1. Review the list of agents that will be attending the PITCH SLAM.  The pitch slam is a great opportunity to pitch your book while standing in front of an agent who may want to see more.  It is on the spot.  Review the agents ahead of time so that you can make the most of your time during this two-hour frenzy.  You don't want to pitch a novel to an agent only looking for non-fiction material. 

2. Plan your workshops ahead of time.  Writer's Market has put out the schedule so that attendees can decide where they want to go and when.  Each workshop offers great information and insight on the publishing/writing world, so discover your needs and plan accordingly. 

3.  Use Thursday to rest up.  Why?  With so much exciting opportunities avialable at the event, the last thing that you need is to be approached by an agent and be so tired that your mind is not sharp enough to gear the conversation towards pitching your book or future book. Agents know that when they speak to an author, that author will most likely want to pitch their book.  So, if an agent approaches you, be rested and ready to fill their ears with something good. 

4.  Smile.  This is a great time to rub elbows with many agents that may have turned you down in the past.  Now, however, you have a chance to let agents see who you are.  This, sometimes, will be all an agent needs to be turned on to your work.  A positive, upbeat attitude can go far in an agents world.  So keep your smile big and bright because you never know what may happen!

If you are going to the event, I wish you much success and fun!  The outcome of the experience is truly up to you and I hope that you are able to make the most of it.  For me, I'm ready and I hope to see you there!

Surfing the marketing process...

As you all know, I am currently working with my assistant who had put together a wonderful marketing campaign for my 101 Behaviors book.  With a few interviews already set up, we are discussing television appearances on a few local and non-local stations.  Along with interviews, reviewers have started commenting on the book and my nerves are beginning to ease.  There are more decisions to be made when marketing a book and I am finding this a fun learning process.  Many questions enter my mind about which avenues are the most properous to follow and which are truly devils in disguise.  Thankfully, I possess, what I like to call, a surfer mentality.  Sure, I have surfed before, never being really great at it, but it is the principles of surfing that have guided me to make important decisions and to learn to accept the outcomes of those decisions whether good or not-so-good. 

You see, in the ocean, waves come and waves go.  The important thing to remember is that the ocean continues to produce waves, some big and others small, on a continual basis.  As a surfer, it is nice to sit on your board in the ocean and watch for the wave that you want to ride.  If you never grab a wave, you haven't surfed.  More experienced surfers know what waves will provide them with the better ride while less experienced surfers are just happy to catch a wave, regardless of size.  Well, in the book world, I am a less experienced surfer who is glad to ride small waves so that I can understand how they influence my process.  With each wave that I catch, I learn more and become more skilled.  The more that I develop my skills and understanding, the choosier I can be about which waves I will ride.  However, as any surfer knows, on flat days, a small wave might just be the giant you've been waiting for!  Surf's up!

Waiting is tough...

There is no doubt about it, waiting for reviewers to write their reviews of your book is tough to do.  I am so excited about how many reviewers responded to the letter that my wonderful assistant Mary put out there.  Now, all we can do is wait.  My book fully releases 2/14/11 and trying to create a buzz is fun and emotionally draining.  I'm nervous, of course, because this will be the first time, for me, that a large audience of people that I don't know will be reading my work.  Secondly, I have no idea what they are going to write about my book and how much buzz it will create.  Though I believe in my book as a fun read for men and women, whether in a relationship or not, it is a step of faith to trust that enough people will like it and encourage their audiences to buy it. 

I can tell how worked up I am about waiting because the book I am working on now is loaded with emotional situations.  Often, the emotions, as I write them, seem to be overflowing within me and onto the pages.  Good or bad, I don't know but it is definitely therapeutic for the moment.  I just hope that when I go back and read what I've written that I won't have to start all over again because it is too emotionally charged.  I've only got a week before the NY Writer's Conference and I still haven't mastered my pitch for my kids fantasy book.  What to do; what to do?  Oh well, there's no sense in fretting over something out of your control.  I'll put my stress on the shelf and pull out my jar of giddiness!  Happy writing!

That first copy...

Yesterday, I got a surprise knock on my front door and it was the UPS man.  He handed me a yellow envelope and asked me to sign for it.  I did, seeing that it was from my publisher.  Though I knew what it was going to be, I ripped through the envelope like a starving werewolf rips through its next meal.  Finally, my very own copy of my book 101 Behaviors a Guy Needs to Understand about His Woman! arrived and was in my hands.  It was such an amazing feeling to see things come to completion.  I starting flipping through the pages and for the first time, I read my book as a reader and not a writer (though I kept scanning for errors).  Oh, well, I tried. 

Later, in the evening, I walked down to my pub with my book in hand.  I sat at the bar and ordered my favorite drink as a means of celebration for receiving my book (in case you didn't know, Irish people can use anything as a cause for the need to celebrate and yes, I'm Irish).  The barkeep asked me what I was celebrating and I held up my book.  She couldn't believe that I was the author and asked to see it.  As she flipped through the pages, I could hear her making comments like, "Yep, my friend needs this," and, "Yep, I can relate to that one."  So, I gave her the book, hoping that she would introduce it to others, her friends especially.  It was nice to see the target audience responding positively to my book and though I gave away my only copy, I felt satisfied knowing that it had reached a reader's hands.

How things come together...

It is funny how things come together sometimes when you make the decision to live your dream.  Though I had heard many people tell me before, those who were way ahead of me in living their dream, that "Everything will fall into place."  However, no one can tell another just how much faith you have to put into yourself in order to step over into your dreamworld.  For me, I exhausted every other possibility in my life before I realized that there was nothing else I truly wanted to do than write.  For others, the path may be different.  Regardless of how you get there, believe me when I say that when you are going after your dreams, "Everything will fall into place." 

Yes, I am now a wiser member in the 'Leap of Faith' group and I want you to be also.  It is still up to you to take the leap and believe in yourself enough to not shy away from your dreams when times get tough.  Know this, tough times will come and before you know it something happens to help you along the way.  This just happened to me recently, when I was asked to use my skills in writing in a way I never considered before, and I can't help but continue to share such happenings with you.  The dreamworld is exciting and will continue to be exciting as long as you keep chasing it down.  Obstacles come and obstacles go but living your dream never fades away!

On going saga...

So, I 've been working on a saga poem for the last week now, which is a new experience for me.  I love creativity and how our minds just open up and paint pictures of stories, some worth writing about and others not so much.  Regardless, it's a wonderful experience and I would encourage anyone to sit down with a piece of paper, a laptop, paint and canvas, and just start writing or painting whatever starts coming to mind.  As soon as you allow you mind to catch on to a particular thought, it begins developing details of character descriptions, sentence structures, story lines, flow, and, if you're painting, you'll suddenly realize, after that first stroke, that your mind begins seeing the next stroke and then the next.  This form is typically known as 'freestyle' but more importantly, it is what our minds often long for.  A 'doing' that is outside of our normal patterns and methods.

When I started my saga poem, I only had the first two lines.  As I have learned in the past, the first two lines are plenty enough for a story to be created and developed if I allow my mind to go where it wants to.  This is the major reason that I am not classified genre writer, because I never really know where my mind will travel once I write those first two lines.  I just let it be what it is and I write how my mind creates.  Though this is an exiciting practice, it actually takes time and many attempts to get used to.  Our minds are typically directed by what is acceptable in our routine driven life.  We try to force things to happen and stay within the lines on the road we feel most comfortable travelling on.  However, to tap into more of the brains abilities, we must allow our instruments to veer off-course and onto new terrain.  This is how we learn to push the boundaries of our abilities and become more comfortable at trying new things!  Let go and Let it flow!  By the way, my first two lines have turned into 12 single-spaced pages so far!

It's really exciting...

It is really exciting to see all things coming together.  I have worked hard to finish my book, get it edited, work through the publishing process, and now learning and implementing the marketing process of my book (due out February 14th).  With the help of my wonderful assistant, reviewers are starting to request copies of my book and I just ordered a large amount of copies for myself to promote locally.  I am sure that many of you have been through similar processes but this in particular is all new for me.  It is a very affirming process that lets me know that I am doing what I love and am driven to do.  It is funny though, the thoughts that travel through my mind.  "Will the reviewers like/dislike my book?"  "Will people mock me as a wannabe writer?"  "I wonder what it will be like once I start getting reviews?"  So many thoughts and so much energy is surging through me that I might not be able to sleep for a while.

Either way, regardless of reviewers and critics (positive or negative), I wouldn't change things.  I write because it is the one thing in this world that I am truly passionate about.  I write in a different style and I don't worry about trying to be like other writers.  I use my voice, my creativity, and most importantly, I use my emotions.  After all, isn't that what makes people seperate from others?  As in any deed that is done, it is those who believe in themselves, their abilities, their passions, and who actually follow them that will stand apart; not just to the world but within themselves.  So, I encourage you, make sure that your heart and mind and soul are in alignment and you will experience the burst of energy that flows when the pipes are fitted right.  When water pipes are not connected properly, lots of water is lost.  When your heart, mind, and soul are not lined up where they should be, lots of who you truly are is lost also!

Let the games begin...scheduling!

Alright, the new year has begun and my mind is already bombarded with ideas, upcoming contests, new books and the such.  Therefore, I sat down yesterday and began working out a plan to make it all happen within a very short 365 days.  Because contests are typically posted well in advance, I was able to overlap yet-to-be created works for contest with my upcoming books.  I had learned, over the holiday break, that setting a schedule is a must in order to succeed in the writing world and that 8-10 pages a day, on a book, is a fairly acceptable practice.  My first contest ends Jan. 01 and is a collection of poems, 48 pages worth, which doesn't seem like much since I have already saved up 20 pages of unused material over the last year.  So, I figure I need at least 1 poem a day and will work to gain 4-6 pages a day on my book.  Once January passes, my focus will alter based on need. 

Why am I telling you all of this?  Well, I'm not sure.  However, it helps me to clarify things in my mind when I write them down and what better place to write them than here, for my readers.  My hope is that it may help you to also realize the importance of writing down your schedule so that you have a foundation to work from.  If you are not used to planning, which I am not, take it from those who have been in the business for a long time...make a schedule!  Sure, you can alter it as needed but at least you will have an idea of what needs to get done and by when.  It adds a bit of motivation also.  Either way, or whatever works for you, I hope you find out how to make the most of your new year.  Besides, it may also give you something to write, if your struggling.